Studying an hour or two the night before an exam I can understand. But two consecutive all-nighters before an exam seems a bit redundant.

Writing papers certainly is a different matter and a good reason to pull an all-nighter. Papers take people through all sorts of strategies and rewriting processes and can take a substantial amount of time.

I sometimes will take longer than I need to write a paper because it is something that can be refined the more you look at it and work on it. Every time through, something can be found to improve your final grade, be it a grammatical error or a simple rewording. But sitting down for hours to go over things I went to class to learn or rereading something I read for a class seems unnecessary.

Sometimes people don’t get to class for whatever reason, or missed a few reading assignments. This is understandable and equals a few hours of missed work to catch up on, but it doesn’t explain the mass pilgrimage to quiet hideaways for days on end.

Some people — and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing — can’t retain knowledge quite as well as others and require an extra read or glance over the notes. But shouldn’t that be done the night of the original reading? And even if you’re going to wait until the night before the exam, if you’ve already read it, should it really take more than a quick run through?

We all — well, most of us — are at MSU to receive an education. Although that does include pulling down as many 4.0s as possible, I don’t think a majority of professors are asking students to sit in a corner of the library nuzzled into a book to pass the class. Most of the time, a student would benefit greatly from just frequenting class. Most of what is on exams actually turns out to be what was taught in class — no matter how boring the lecture, video or discussion tends to be.

So if at all possible, put away the computer or newspaper and give up an hour or two every day for classes, it might just save you some sleep come the end of the semester. By listening a lot more, knowledge will be retained, making everything being studied only a refresher — not a complete redo.

On Sunday, there was a “60 Minutes” segment on a drug to make kids smarter. My parents called to tell me to watch it, and I simply replied, “Oh, it’s probably just Adderall.” Sure enough, Katie Couric was detailing the benefits to students who take Adderall and Ritalin to aid studying. But she also detailed all the negatives to the stimulant that many students disregard when using the drug to get ahead.

Many students tend to think that because the drug has positive effects that allow them to stay focused and awake longer, it can’t be that bad for them.

Although they often have only minor side effects, the casual use of the drugs for studying can turn into an abusive addiction with dangerous side effects likened to those of cocaine. Yes, the drugs potentially can help you get ahead
in terms of grades, but is using them and staying up all night really worth it?

Studies have concluded that there are some habits better geared toward better grades. I should know, I employ them on a regular basis to get through my semesters. The best thing to do is go to class and listen, read and complete assignments and, when the time rolls around, take a quick glance at the completed assignments and the highlighted reading.

But the most important aspect during exam season should be sleep. Being awake and alert while taking a test is key to performing well. Staying up all night can greatly hamper the ability to perform at a top level. And of course, eat a hearty, balanced breakfast to keep the mind sharp while test taking.

Just keep in mind, too many chemicals — be it caffeine or other drugs — can be harmful to the exam process. Studying can be done without stressing the body and mind too much. But in the end, it comes down to whatever makes an individual comfortable. If that’s pulling an all-nighter, then that’s what it takes. Just be smart about being smart.

Pat Evans is the State News opinion writer. Reach him at evanspa7@msu.edu.